By Precious Oluwole

The incumbent Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has been declared winner of the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election.

The APC primary election took place in 203 wards across the 18 local government areas of Ondo on Saturday, with a rerun in Okitipupa local government on Sunday.

Kogi State Governor and Chairman of the Ondo APC Governorship primary election committee, Alhaji Usman Ododo declared Governor Aiyedatiwa as the winner of the election on Sunday evening at the Dome.

According to him, Governor Aiyedatiwa won 16 out of the 18 local governments in the State with 48,569 votes to beat other 15 aspirants.

He said the other aspirants score is as follows: Wale Akinterinwa; 1,952, Olusola Oke; 14,915, Mayowa Akinfolarin; 15,343, Jimoh Ibrahim; 9,456, Isaac Kekemeke; 1,045, Gbenga Edema; 395, Olamide Ohunyeye; 424, Jimi Odimayo; 490, Olusoji Ehinlanwo; 492, Morayo Lebi; 290, Diran Iyantan; 348, Francis Faduyile; 353, Ifeoluwa Oyedele; 462, Funmilayo Waheed-Adekojo; 529 and Funke Omogoroye; 115.

While Ododo said that the total numbers of voters; 171, 922, accredited voters; 95178, total vote cast; 95178, valid votes; 95178, invalid vote; nil.

According to Ododo, who was flanked by the secretary of the committee, Ovie Omo-Agege and other members of the committee said; “reports from the field revealed that the primary election went on peacefully, and the end of the exercise, votes were counted and recorded.

“By the power conferred on the committee, and in line with APC guide lines for the nomination of the candidate, of the party in the general election, I Ahmed Usman Ododo, Governor of Kogi State and the Chairman of the Committee and the Returning Officer of the Ondo State APC governorship primary election, held on the 20th, 2024, hereby declared that Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest numbers of votes cast in the direct primary election, is hereby return elected and declare winner.”

Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola who is the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), led INEC officials to observe the collation and declaration.

Governor Ododo commended all he returning officers in all the 18 local governments for their efforts towards ensuring a free, fair and cresible governorship primary election.

He also applauded the party members who came to perform their civic responsibility without violence for their preferred candidate to emerge.

While congratulating Governor Aiyedatiwa for his victory at the primary election, Ododo urged other aspirants not to hold any grudges but support the winner and work together for the progress of the party, APC, as well as the State.

In his acceptance speech after the declaration and affirmation of the result of the governorship primary election titled “a time to win together”, Governor Aiyedatiwa acknowledge and thank all the aspirants who threw their hats into the ring in the family contest to be the flag-bearer, adding that their participation has created so much awareness within and outside APC.

“You mobilized our members and removed apathy. You have also brought in numerous new members into the party. All of these have enriched our democracy and strengthened our party in the State.

“Democracy sometimes, after a contest like this, comes with discordant tunes. But this is not the time to hold grudges against anyone but for all of us to come together to work for the success of our great party so as to remain in power. We will all gain in this party, though at different times, if we keep faith. I salute your courage and keen interest to lead the State towards development. It is your right and you are qualified and worthy members of our party”.

Governor Aiyedatiwa appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his leadership, the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, the National Chairman of APC, Alhaji Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, the Progressive Governors, National and State Working Committees of APC and all stakeholders in the state for their forthrightness in the processes leading to his emergence as the flag-bearer for APC in the Ondo 2024 governorship election.

He also appreciated the traditional rulers, institutional heads, civil servants and all the stakeholders who have chosen him as their preferred candidate. The Governor extended his appreciation to all the party leaders, including the APC Aborigines, members of the campaign team and all others who toured the entire 18 local government areas together with him to engage with the party members, stressing that he does not take for granted the love shown to him by APC members across the State.

“To all our party members, I hereby accept, wholeheartedly, the responsibility conferred on me as the candidate of our party by the votes of our members who turned out in their large numbers on the 20th of April 2024.

“Now, more than ever before, the greatness of Ondo State is what matters the most. I therefore request that we all join hands together in building the future that we all yearn for in Ondo state. There is infrastructure to be built; better healthcare services to be delivered; fair justice to be served; qualitative education to be ensured; civil servants to be trained and motivated; security of lives and properties to be strengthened; enabling environment to be created for businesses to thrive and attract investors”.